Abstract [en]

Background: Palliative care is based on an approach where the purpose is to prevent and palliate suffering and improve quality of life for patients and their relatives. The care is based on holism, which means that both spiritual and existential aspects are included. This can be very complex to handle for the nurse. Therefore, nurses can experience their work situation as strenuous and trying at the same time as enriching and developing. An ability to handle difficult situations is, together with professional support, facilitated by the fact that nurses have sound knowledge of existential philosophy and existential questions. Significant when meeting the patients is the nurse’s own experience concerning illness, suffering and death. This relation influences the contact with patients. Aim: To describe nurses’ experience of meeting dying patients with existential and spiritual needs in palliative care. Method: Literature-based study on qualitative research from 12 scientific articles. Result: Three main categories with subcategories emerged; Developing a trusting relationship; Promote personal development; Dealing with emotionally stressful situations. Conclusion: A relation based on trust is required if nurses shall be able to identify a patient’s spiritual and existential needs. Nurses gradually increase personal development from relations with patients but simultaneously experience that they are confronted with emotionally stressful situations which require support and professional guidance together with a balanced life.